Erin began speaking, followed by the lady and the maids, each speaking one by one. It seemed that many shared similar thoughts.
“Then, since the remaining people cannot be here, shall we move to another place?”
The location she suggested was a large room on the second floor, with a fireplace and many chairs. The seats were quickly arranged, and the servants brought warm tea.
At that moment, Countess Karson, who had been calming herself under a blanket, lifted her head.
“I’m sorry. I’ve ruined the princess’s banquet because of me.”
“What does that matter?”
Angelina spoke firmly.
“That’s right. First, let’s take a break,” Erin said, expressing concern.
“And then we need to think about what to do next.”
“…Yes.”
“Countess Karson.” Angelina looked her in the eye and spoke seriously.
“We can’t just let this slide this time.”
“…”
At Angelina’s gentle yet firm advice, Countess Karson shook her head. Angelina’s words contained not only an urging for the future but also the implication that today’s events were not a first-time occurrence.
It conveyed the understanding that this had happened multiple times before and that nothing would change in the future, so a decision needed to be made this time.
Her shoulders trembled slightly, as if she was holding back tears. Everyone noticed her trembling, but no one pretended to acknowledge it. They quietly sipped their tea until she calmed down.
After finishing her cup of tea, Countess Karson slowly raised her head. Her eyes first met Julia’s.
“Julia, thank you,” Countess Karson cautiously expressed her gratitude.
“If it wasn’t for you today… thank you for helping me.” Countess Karson bowed her head again as if her throat had tightened.
It was then.
“We are sorry for what has happened.”
“…I’m sorry too. Will I be able to make amends with Lady Julia?”
Those who had once been rude or made wrongdoings towards Julia apologized one by one. Julia looked around at their apologies with an impassive face, a face that contemplated whether to accept their apologies or not. Erin quietly observed how Julia would react.
“I think it’s natural to have ups and downs when we’re trying to become close. It’s important to get to know each other and form strong bonds.”
Her words were not just considerate towards the other party; they held her sincere feelings. Julia had not been dwelling on the past events.
As Julia’s face gradually broke into a bright, cheerful smile, the atmosphere around them instantly loosened.
It was then.
The youngest among those present couldn’t contain their curiosity and opened their eyes wide, speaking.
“By the way, wasn’t today… amazing?”
“Yeah, I was really surprised!”
It seemed like the other ladies felt the same way.
“Today was really impressive. But, did you learn that separately? Your skill in subduing…”
The lady and the young women marveled, speaking one by one.
“I just happen to be a bit strong.”
Julia said, feeling embarrassed, but clenching her fist.
“The way you subdued him… it was really impressive.”
“I feel secure when I’m with Lady Julia.”
They said with bright smiles.
The stories that had been opened and shared once continued joyfully as if they didn’t realize the night passing by.
***
The atmosphere in the social circle had changed from before.
During the previous gathering at Princess Angelina’s mansion, they had engaged in deep conversations and come to understand each other better, making everyone closer.
A sense of camaraderie that hadn’t been there before also emerged.
Instead of being cautious and testing each other as before, everyone had developed a more enjoyable relationship.
Erin fell into quiet contemplation.
Everyone had their own circumstances. Their actions were limited, and within those limitations, they had to form friendships and compete.
It was difficult to shine in a life where they couldn’t even dream of something different.
Perhaps that was why some people had reacted negatively to Julia.
She had appeared suddenly, presenting a stark contrast to them. Maybe in witnessing her freedom and unconventionality, they sought solace by rejecting Julia in a way.
“It doesn’t excuse their improper behavior, but…”
Nevertheless, they had gained a new understanding of what was in their hearts.
***
Several days after the party, Erin visited Demielan’s workshop.
He was deeply engrossed in working on the sculpture she had seen before. Standing in front of him, Erin spoke up.
“This sculpture, you’re creating it based on Lady Karson, aren’t you?”
“Do you recognize her?” Demielan’s eyes flickered. It was understandable.
This sculpture was indeed Lady Karson, but at the same time, it wasn’t her.
He had crafted it with a different face to prevent others from recognizing her. However, upon closer inspection, Lady Karson’s features were discernible.
“It’s still incomplete,” Erin remarked as she examined the sculpture closely.
Despite its unfinished state, it exuded a mysterious aura, stirring the emotions of those who beheld it.
“This will surely stir the hearts of those confessing their love,” Erin muttered, her gaze captured by the sculpture.
“Is this the statue of eternal love?” Demielan’s expression turned strange at her words.
Then he spoke, “You think this will become a symbol of confessing love?” He chuckled disdainfully.
“That’s nonsensical. This is nothing but foolishness.”
Demielan muttered self-deprecatingly. It’s a foolish and sentimental heart that can’t convey anything beyond affection.
“It doesn’t suit at all with sweet confession,” he added with a bitter smile.
As Erin turned to him, she found herself speechless.
He wore a pained expression as if trying to suppress tears.
“Madam, I have no relation whatsoever with Lady Karson,” he confessed calmly.
“So, please do not misunderstand. It’s just my own feelings.”
They say Demielan saw Lady Karson before she got married and fell in love with her at first sight. “Well, that was quite a while ago then.”
Erin was momentarily astonished at the depth of Demielan’s emotions. Demielan continued calmly, “It was a relationship that could never come to fruition in any case.”
He was a commoner, only gaining recognition thanks to his talent as a sculptor, and before that, he was bitterly poor and unremarkable.
To him, nobility was an unattainable existence.
“I merely harbored feelings from afar,” he said, insisting that his feelings had never even begun.
“Of course, I never once thought of confessing. Just watching from a distance was enough for me.”
They say that one day, she came to commission a sculpture, and that’s how their connection began.
From then on, whenever he left the capital and returned, she would visit him once.
He even admitted to leaving and returning on purpose for those moments. Still, he couldn’t hold onto his feelings forever.
That’s why he thought he needed to truly let go and had been making this statue.
“Then I found out. It means she doesn’t smile as brightly anymore.”
Demielan spoke with a faint smile on his face.
“From a certain point, she only wore a sad and gloomy smile. And that was even after she was mistreated by Count Karson.”
He sighed self-deprecatingly, “But even knowing all that, there was nothing I could do.”
He then expressed his concern, “I went after her at the banquet, but when I saw Count Karson heading in the same direction, I turned back.
I was worried that pretending to know her might cause misunderstandings and trouble.” Unable to face Count Karson, he fled back to the banquet hall.
“I never expected such a situation to arise…” he said with a pained expression.
“In the end, even though I attended the banquet, I couldn’t do anything. The ones who helped her were Lady and the princess.”
Turning to the statue beside him, he continued, “This one is dedicated to the Countess.”
“But this is for the Countess,” Demielan said.
“I made it while thinking of her, but I never thought I could give it to her.”
So murmuring that it was an ownerless statue to begin with, Demielan gazed at the statue in silence.
“I just wanted to complete this statue to sort out my feelings.”
“… ”
“Perhaps I won’t be able to finish it after all…”
He murmured with a bitter expression.
